The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire, more particularly to a motorcycle tire suitably used on well-paved roads and having a tread pattern mainly formed by oblique grooves by which transient characteristics from the vertical state during straight running to the full lean state during cornering can be improved while preventing the occurrence of shimmy such as handle shimmy during straight running.
In a motorcycle tire used on well-paved roads, it is effectual for improving the cornering performance to relatively increase the rigidity of the tread portion in its central portion so as to generate a large lateral force when a rider initiates a turn and leans into the turn, and thereby to improve the handle response.
In such a motorcycle tire however, during straight running, a relatively large lateral force is liable to occur, therefore, due to the lateral force, shimmy such as handle shimmy is liable to occur.
On the other hand, it is preferable for making stable cornering to gradually and smoothly increase the lateral force of the tire from the vertical state during straight running to the full lean state during cornering.
However, in the above-mentioned motorcycle tire whose tread central portion is relatively increased in the rigidity, it is difficult to further increase the lateral force from the vertical state to the lean state with the increase in the camber angle. And transient characteristics are liable to deteriorate.